Phonograph-record-handling device



E. 0. CLARK.

PHONOGRAPH RECORD HANDLlNG DEVICE APPLICATION FILED APR 14 m9 1,365,227. Patentd Jan. 11,1921.

film/6, 15M

UNITED STATES ELMERO. CLARK, OF MILLERSBURG, OHIO.

PHONOGRAPH-RECORD-HANDLING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

Application filed April 14, 1919. Serial No. 290,004.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER O. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Millersburg, in the county of Holmes and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Phonograph-Record- Handling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in phonograph record handling devices, the present embodiment of'the invention being particularly designed and adapted for use in handling disk records for sound reproducing machines whereby such records may be taken from and returned to their storing receptacles and mounted upon and taken from the record support of such sound reproducing machine without touching the record at any time by the hand or fingers of the user, thereby not only protecting the records from thumb and finger marks which impair the record by causing dust collecting grease and moisture spots, butalso protecting the records from breakage in such rec- 0rd changing and handling operation.

A further and very important object of the invention is the provision of an improved disk record handling device which will enable the disk records to be readily read and reversed without removing or changing the position of the device while in use.

A still further object is the provision of a device of this class having improved record gripping resilient portions or surfaces which will not only engage the central or plain portions of the disk record, but which will not injure the record grooves of the record by coming in contact therewith. 1

A still further object is the provision of a generally improved device of this class which will be exceedingly simple in construction, cheap of manufacture, and'efiicient in use.

With the above mentioned and other ends in view, the invention consists inthe novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in one of its embodiments in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1, is a top plan view of a record handling device in its operative or record handling position, as applied to an ordinary disk record.

Fig. 2, an edge view of the same, a'portion of one of the handles being broken away for the purpose of clearer illustration of the parts. i

Fig. 3, a plan view of the reverse side of the same, removed from the record, a portion of one of the record holding jaws or fingers being broken away for the purpose of clearer illustration of the inner or resilient record clamping portion thereof.

Similar numerals of reference designate like parts throughout all the figures of the drawings.

The improved record handling device comprises a pair of record receiving and clamping members or jaws 1 and 2, and terminating in handle members 1 and 2, respectively. I

The jaw and handle members are movably connected to each other in any suitable and convenient manner, as, for example, by means of a pivot member 3,'in the present instance, in the specific form of abearing screw removably'mounted in the shank portions of the handle member and threaded in one side of one of the handle members as shown.

As a means of more efficiently gripping the disk records 4, as well as more readily permitting of the reading of titles thereon, the record receiving and clamping jaws or members 1 and 2, are preferably in the specific form of laterally spaced parallel extending record clamping fingers land 2, as shown, and as a means of conveniently handling and operating the jaw and handle members the upper jaw and handle members 1 and 1, are preferably movable and the lower jaw and handle members 2 and 2 are preferably relatively fixed or stationary, as shown.

As a means of conveniently reversing the record 4,.by a turning or rotary movement of the hand while resting upon and holding the handle members 1 and 2 the axial planes of the handle members are preferably arranged in the same plane with the axial or common planes of the record gripping and clamping fingers l and 2, said record clamping fingers being preferably formed of approximately the length of the radius of the disk record and being adapted to extend over and bridge the space between the central and outer peripheral portions of the disk record, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, of the drawings.

As a means of holding the jaws or fingers 1 and 2, in a closed position, and particularly as a means of giving a substantially constant record holding gripping action to the members 1 and 2, independently of the record transporting and reversing action by the hand while resting on the handle members 1 and 2 and forming what may be termed self-contained handles, the relatively stationary handle member 2, is preferably provided atone side (or what in the present instance may be termed the top portion thereof) with a handle receiving recess or pocket 2", adapted to movably receive the movable handle 1", so that the latter is adapted to be actuated only by the thumb or fingers of the hand while carrying the holding device and the record therein by the main handle 2, a U-shaped spring 5, of the requisite tension strength being interposed between the handles 1 and 2, and, in thepresent instance, arranged within the pocket 2 of the stationary handle member 2.

As a means of providing a convenient record gripping surface for the jaws or fingers 1 and 2, and particularly providing a gripping or contacting surface which will not injure the record portion of the disk record, the inner free ends of the jaws or fingers 1 and 2, are preferably provided with resilient gripping portions 6, preferably in the form of felt or cloth strips, and preferably inset somewhat from the planes of the main body portion of the jaws or fingers 1 and 2, so that the latter will bridge the main record surface of the disk records and not come in contact therewith, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, of the drawings.

As a means of limiting the movements of the aw engaging fingers 1 and 2, longitudinally when applied to a disk record and facilitating the proper application of the holding device thereto, the base or pivoted portion of one of the jaws or fingers may be provided with a stop member 1 said stop member, in the present instance, beingin the specific form of a stop shoulder carried by the movable jaw 1.

The free ends of the jaws or fingers 1 and 2, are preferably beveled and rounded as at 1" and 2, so as to more readily pass over the disk record in the insertion or removal of the record clamping and handling device, and as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, of the drawings.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood.

Having thus described one of the embodiments of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;-

1. A disk record handling device, comprising spring resisted fiexibly connected disk record clamping fingers arranged in pairs and extending in parallel relation to each other, said fingers terminating in pivoted handle members arranged in approximately the axial plane of the clamping fingers, one of said handle members being provided with a cavity movably containing the other handle member whereby said disk clamping fingers may be readily rotated by the hand while resting on the handle mem bers and whereby said clamping fingers may be released by pressing the movable handle member while holding the stationary handle.

2. A disk record handling device, comprising pivotally connected spaced parallel extending record clamping fingers arranged in opposite pairs and terminating in handles having their common axial plane extending coincidentally with the common axial plane of said fingers, said pairs of fingers being adapted to register with each other and to engage opposite sides of the disk record and having spaced intermediate portions to bridge the space between the center and outer periphery thereof containing the record proper.

3. In a disk record handling device, spaced record clamping fingers arranged in pairs in parallel relation and approximately coextensive with and adapted to engage opposite sides of the radial portion of a disk record, said fingers terminating in a pair of pivoted handle members extending in the common axial plane of said fingers and projecting outside of the periphery of the disk record in the plane of the latter, whereby said handles may be engaged for rotation and reversal without detachment of the clamping fingers, one of said handles being provided with a cavity adapted to receive the other and having spring actuated means within said cavity and between and protected by said handles whereby the disk clamping members may be released by inde' pendent movements of the handle members. In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

O. CLARK. 

